driggs



No. 6I3,|95. Patented Oct. 25, I898. L. L. BRIGGS & V. C. TASKER.

RAPID FIRE GUN.

(Application filed Apr. 13, 1898.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

No. 6l3,|95. Patented Oct. 25, I898.

L. nmees & v. c. TASKER. r

RAPID FIRE GUN.

(Application filed Apr. 13, 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS LABODIE DRIGGS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., AND VERNON COMPTON TASKER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA; SAID TASKER ASSIGNOR TO THE DRIGGS-SEABURY GUN AND AMMUNITION COM- PANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

RAPID-FIRE GUN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,195, dated October 25, 1898.

Application filed April 1 3, 1 8 9 8.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we,LoUIsLABoDIE Dames, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, and VERNON COMPTON TASKER, residing at \Vashington, in the District of Columbia, citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rapid-Fire Guns; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to improvements in breech-loading rapid-fire guns; and it consists in certain improved mechanism for opening and closing the breech, improved firing mechanism for firing the cartridge, and an improved form of extractor for removing and ejecting the empty cartridge-case after the projectile has been fired.

Our invention will be understoodby reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same parts are indicated by the same letters throughout the several views.

Figure 1 represents a rear view of the breech of the gun with the breech-block in the closed position. Fig. 2 represents a section along the broken line 2 2 of Fig. 1 and looking to the left, the breech-block being shown in the open position. Fig. 3 represents a section along the line 3 3 of Fig. Land looking to the right. Fig. 4 represents a section similar to that shown in Fig. 2 except that the breechblock is shown in full lines and in the closed position. Fig. v5 represents a section of the breech of the gun similar to that shown in Fig. 2, but with the breech-block and all connected parts removed from the gun. Fig. 6 represents a rear perspective view of the cartridge-case extractor. Fig. '7 represents a perspective view of the rock-shaft with breechblock-operating cams and cocking-toe connected thereto; and Fig. 8 is a sectional diagram showing the various positions of the breech block and extractor as the breechblock is first lowered and then swung to the rear, or vice versa.

A represents the body of the gun, which is Serial No- B'77A94. (No model.)

provided with achamber for the breech-block in rear of the powder-chamber, which chamber for the breech-block is provided with ribs or shoulders (I. a, set at a small angle, preferably about three degrees with the perpendicular. In rear of these shoulders the sides A of the breech of the gun are cut away to admit the introduction from the rear of the fixed ammunition, and to facilitate this introduction the rear of the gun is coned out, as at 60 The lower portion of the sides A terminates in the inwardly-projecting arms A with ribs a on which arms the breech-block is supported when it is rotated to the open position.

The front portion of the upper part of the breech-block is provided with a rib I], having its rear face adaptedto engage against the shoulder a, while the rear portion of the upper part b of thebreech-block bears against the shoulder a, while the breech-block is closed.

Owing to the angular direction of the shoulders Ct a, the breech-block is wedged home when lifted to the closed position and may be readily withdrawn to the rear when opening. The sides of the breech-blook are provided with lugs B, having the cam-surfaces Z9 and b and the supporting-surface b and the sides of the breech-block are also provided with the lugs 13*, having curvedends b the fiat tops I), the flat backs b and curved front face 12 These two lugs B and B on each side of the breech-block travel in the wing chamber A in the side of the breech-block chamber in the breech of the gun. This wing chamber A has the side walls a a a a a all substantially perpendicular to a vertical plane, and the said chamber opens into the extractorslot a while the side walls of the gun are perforated, as at a to receive the rock-shaft O. The curved wall a of this wing chamber A is adapted to fit the top of the lug B,while face a while the breech-block is in the closed position, as shown in Fig. 4, and thus the back of this lug and also the back of the lug B offer additional bearing-surfaces against the shock of discharge and add to the strength the flat side I) of this lug fits against the flat a and a.

"in Fig. 2.

of the breech-closure. The wall a is in the form of an arc of a circle whose center is the center of the opening a for the rock-shaft 0, while the wall a is practically vertical. The rib a on the other side of the chamber A is rounded, as shown in Fig. 5, above which is the curved slot 0. for the lug of the extractor. The breech-block B is also provided along its front face with a groove I) to engage the heel Q of the extractor Q, as shown The breech-block is also provided with a central chamber for the firing mechanism, with a nose-plate H, dovetailed, as at h, in front of said chamber and held in place by means of the pin K, which projects into the nose-plate from the rear through the opening 6 I The rock-shaft C is preferably made in the form of three concentric cylinders of increasing diameter and separated from each other by the hexagonal bosses c and 0 which fit in the holding end cl and d of the sleeve D, carrying the breech opening and closing cams D. This rock-shaft is journaled in the side walls A of thebreech of the gun and is rotated by means of the hand-lever 0.

Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 4, it will be seen that a motion of the hand-lever to the left will cause the cams D to swing down, striking the face b of the lugs B and drawing down the breechblock from engagement with the shoulders at The breech-block will then fall until the top of the curved recess 13 rests on the sleeve D, at which time the curved upper surface of the lugs 13 will be in position to swing under the curved surface 0L6, and the whole breech-block will be swung to the rear about its pivot until it rests on the arms A "in the position shown in Fig. 2. A reverse motion of the lever C will now swing the breechblock to the vertical position, and then the cams D will act on the cam-surfaces b of the lugs B, forcing the parts I) and b to engage the shoulders at a and locking the breechblock.

The operation of opening and closing the breech-block in connection with operating the extractors and the firing mechanism will be hereinafter more fully explained.

E represents the firing-pin, which is provided with the pointe, adapted to pass through an opening in the nose-plate H in the usual way. This firing-pin terminates in the eye 2 for cooking by hand, if desired. The firing-pin E carries the cocking-arm Eforward of the firing-spring F, held in the chamber 13 for the firing-pin. This cocking-arm E and the cocking-toe D on the rock-shaftD travel in the central chamber B of the breech-block in rear of the nose-plate H. The rear end K of the pin K, which holds the nose-plate in position, is made resilient, with a limited lateral travel in the hole 19 of the breech-block and the head k of this pin projects through and engages in the slot m in the sliding plate M, attached to the rear of the breech-block,

which plate travels between suitable guides N and is provided with an overhanging lip m, so as to prevent the same from being accidentally lost in case the head 76 of the pin K should bebroken off. I The top of this sliding plate M is caused by the resiliency of the part K of the pin K to engage in a notch e in the firing-pin and to hold the same cocked when the firing-pin is drawn to the rear. The firing-pin is released by drawing the sliding plate M downward, which may be done by means of the lanyard B hooking in the eye m and passing through the eye 19 on one of the arms A orany suitable means for drawing the plate M out of engagement with the firing-pin may be adopted.

The extractor Q is formed of two engaging arms Q, rounded somewhat, as at g, to shift the leverage somewhat in from the point of the extractor during the operation of starting the empty cartridge-case from its seat. Between these arms the extractor is rounded, as at q. The sides g of the extractor are made vertical to fit between the vertical walls of the chamber for the breech-block, while projecting from these vertical sides are lugs Q adapted to engage in the slots a, which slots are curved somewhat, so that the engaging faces of the extractor maytravel in a rearward direction as the cartridge-case is being withdrawn. The heel of the extractor Q is rounded, as shown, to engage in the curved recess I) in the face of the under side of the breech-block, as shown in Fig. 2.

Having thus described the several parts, and also the operation of opening and closing the breech, the conjoint action of the various details of the invention is as follows, special reference being had to Fig. 8:

Suppose the breech-block to be in the position indicated by the solid lines in Fig. 8 and the extractor to he in the position shown in section in said figure. The first movement of the rock-shaft G to the left about its axis would be to swing the cams D from beneath V the supporting-faces b of the lugs B, and the movement of the cams will continue further until the rear sides of said cams will strike on top of the lugs B This, assisted by the weight of the breech-block, will drag the same downward to theposition shown by the light dash-lines indicated at 2 in Fig. 8. During this portion of the motion of the breech-block the extractor will not be disturbed. hen the breech-block has reached the position shown by the dash-lines in Fig. 8, the shoulder b on the breech-block will rest upon the curved part q of the extractor and the upper edges of the breech-block will just clear the shoulders at a. Slight farther downward motion of the breech-block will cause the block to tilt backward to the position shown by the heavy dash-lines at 3 in Fig. 8, when the top of the recess B will rest upon the sleeve D and all the parts will swing together about the sleeve D as a pivot to the position indicated by the light dot-and-dash lines indi cated at 4 in Fig. 8. breech-block will now begin to act on the heel Q of the extractor, pushing the heel of the extractor in and causing it to rotate about a pivot very near the points of the engaging arms Q, thus giving a long lever-arm for The recess 1) in the starting the cartridge-case. As the breechblock continues to swing downward it will roll the extractor along on its front curved surface, causing the operative lever-arm to become shorter and shorter, and consequently the speed for ejection of the cartridge-case to rapidly increase until all the parts are in the open position indicated by the heavy dot-anddash lines at 5 in Fig. 8. In closing the breech the reverse of these operations takes place.

The operation of the firing mechanism was omitted from the description of the drawings and the description thereof in Fig. 8 for the sake of clearness, but will be understood by reference to Figs. 2. and 4. Suppose the breech-block to be-in the closed position shown in Fig. 4 and the breech-block to be opened by turning the hand-lever O. The first action of the hand-lever before the block is moved at all will be to cause the toe D to engage the cocking-arm B withdrawing the point e of the firing-pin from the face of the nose plate, and thus protecting the same against possible injury. As the rock-shaft O continues to revolve to the rear the toe D continues to withdraw the cocking-arm B until the notch e passes the top of the locking-plate M, when this plate springs up and engages the said notch, holding the firing-pin in the cocked position shown in Fig. 2. The parts will be in the position shown in Fig. 2 when the breech is entirely open. Now when the breech is closed the rock-shaft C will be revolved in the opposite direction and the toe D will'be rotated out of engagement with the arm 13, when the firing-pin will remain cooked and ready for firing.

It will be obvious that various modifications in the details of the herein-described invention might be made which could be used without departing from the spirit of our invention.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a breech-loading gun, the combination with a gun-body provided with a breechblock chamber in rear of the powder-chamber, with bearing-surfaces in the walls of said breech-block chamber and wing chambers at the sides of said breech-block chamber, of a breech-block mounted in said chamber and provided with bearing-surfaces adapted to engage the bearing-surfaces of the gun, lugs or projections on the sides of said breechblock projecting into said wing chamber, and rearwardly engaging the walls of the same, and cams rotating between the lugs on the breech-block, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. In a breech-loading rapid-fire gun, the

combination with a gun-body provided with a breech-block chamber in rear of the powderchamber and wing chambers at either side of the breech-block chamber, with bearing-surfaces in the walls of said breech-block chamber, of a breech-block mounted in said breechblock chamber and provided with bearingsurfaces engaging those of the gun, lugs projecting from the side of said breech-block intothe wing chamber and rearwardly engaging the walls of the same, cams rotating between said lugs, and means for moving said cams and thereby opening and closing said breechblock, a firing mechanism operated by the motion of said cams, substantially as described.

3; In a rapid-fire breech-loading gun, the combination with a gun-body provided with a breech-block chamber in rear of the powderchamber, with bearing-surfaces in the Walls of said breech-block chamber and wing chambers at either side of said breech-block chamber, of a breech-block mounted in said chamber and provided with bearing-surfaces engaging the bearing-surfaces on the gun, lugs on'the breech-block projecting into said wing chambers and rearwardly engaging the walls of the same, cams journaled in said wing chambers between said lugs, means for rotatin g said cams and operating the breech-block, and a cartridge-case extractor mounted in front of said breech-block and operated by the breech-block as the latter is opened, substantially as described.

4. In a breech-loading gun, the combination with a gun-body provided with a breechblock chamber in rear. of the powder-chamber with bearing-surfaces in the walls of said breech-block chamber and wing chambers at the sides of said breech-block chamber, of a breech-block mounted in said chamber and provided with bearing-surfaces adapted to engage the bearing-surfaces on the gun, and also provided with an inverted-U-shaped recess across the base thereof, lugs or projections on the sides of said breech-block projecting into said wing chambers and rearwardly engaging the walls of the same, a rock-shaft journaled transversely in the gun, and rotating freely in said inverted-U-shaped recess, and camsrigidly secured to said rock-shat t and rotating between the lugs on the breech-block, substantially as and for the purposes described.

5. In a breech-loading rapid-fire gun, the combination with a gun-bod y provided with a breech-block chamber in rear of the powderchamber and wing chambers at either side of the breech-block chamber with bearing-surfaces in the walls of said breech-block chamber and of said wing chamber, of a breechblock mounted in said breech-block chamber and provided with bearing-surfaces engaging those of the gun, lugs projecting from the side of said breech-block into the wing chamber, and bearing rearwardly against the walls of said wing chamber, cams rotating between said lugs, and means for moving said cams and thereby opening and closing said breechblock, substantially as described.

6. In a rapid-fire breech-loadin g gun, the combination with a gun-body provided with a breech-block chamber in rear of the powderchamber, with bearing-surfaces in the walls of said breech-block chamber and wing chambers at either side of said breech-block chamber with curved slots also provided in the walls of the breech block chamber, of a breechbloc-k mountedin said chamber and provided with bearing-surfaces engaging the bearingsurfaces on the gun, lugs on the breech-block projecting into said wing chambers, and bearing rearwardly against the walls of said wing chambers when the breech block is in the closedposition, cams journaled in said wing chambers between said lugs, means for rotating said cams and operating. the breech-block, and a cartridge case extractor mounted in front of said breech-block and provided with lugs projecting into said curved slots, and also provided with a heel adapted to be struck by the breech-block as the latter is opened, substantially as described.

7. In a breech-loading gun, the combination with a gun-body provided with a breechblock chamber in rear of the powder-chamber with bearing-surfaces in the walls of said breech-block chamber and wing chambers at the sidesof said breech-block chamber, and with inwardly-projecting arms in rear of and below said breech-block chamber, of a breechblock mounted in said chamber and provided with bearing-surfaces adapted to engage the bearing-surfaces on the gun, when in the closed position, and adapted to rest on said arms when in the open position, the said breech-block being also provided with an inverted- U -shaped recess across the base thereof, lugs or projections on the sides of said breech-block projecting into said wing chambers and bearing rearwardly against the walls of said wing chambers when the breech-block is in the closed position, a rock-shaft journaled transversely in the gun and rotating freely in said iuverted-U-shaped recess, and cams rigidly secured to said rockshaft and rotating between the lugs on the breechblock, substantially as and for the purposes described.

8. In a breech-loading rapid-fire gun, the combination with a gun-body provided with a breech-block chamber in rear of the powder-chamber and wing chambers, at either side of the breech-block chamber with bearing-surfaces in the Walls of said breech-block chamber, and with inwardly-proj ectin g arms in rear of and below said breech-block chamber, of a breech-block mounted in said breechblock chamber and provided with bearingsurfaces engaging those of the gun when in the closed position, and adapted to rest on said arms when in the open position, lugs projecting from the side of said breech-block into the wing chambers and bearing against the walls of said wing chamber when the breech-block is in the closed position, cams rotating between said lugs, and means for moving said cams and thereby opening and closing said breech block, substantially as described.

9., In a rapid-fire breech-loading gun, the combination with a gun-body provided with a breech-block chamber in rear of the powder-chamber and wing chambers at either side of said breech-block chamber, with bearingsurfaces in the walls of said breech-block chamber and of said wing chambers, with curved slots also provided in the walls of the breech block chamber, of a breech-block mounted in said chamber and provided with bearing-surfaces engaging the bearing-sun faces in the breechblock chamber, lugs on the breech-block projecting into said wing chambers and bearing rearwardly against the Walls of said wing chambers when the breechblock is in the closed position, cams journaled in said wing chambers between said lugs, means for rotating said cams and operating the breech-block, and a cartridge-case extractor mounted in front of said breechblock and provided with a curved front face, laterally-extending lugs projecting into said curved slots and also provided with a heel adapted to be struck by the breech-block as the latter is opened, substantially as described.

10. In a breech-loading gun, in which the block is first lowered in opening, and is then swung to the rear about a pivot, the combination with a breech -block, provided with side projections, of a gunbody provided with abreech-block chamber and bearing-surfaces engaging said breech-block above, at the side of, and below the bore, and cams rotating between said side projections to open and close the breech, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS LABODIE BRIGGS. VERNON COMPTON TASKER. Witnesses:

J. H. HOLT, J os. H. BLACKWOOD. 

